Apparatus for producing and utilizing gas



March 22, 1932. J. DELATTRE-SEGUY 1,850,945

I I APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AND UTILIZING G AS Filed Jun 4, 1927 wi' zvzess' ZZZ/67171197 W Z0226? Jfe my Patented. Mar. 22, 1932 .urn rno STATES PATENT; OFFICE JEAN DELATTRE-SEGUY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA APBARATUS FOR PRODUCING AND UTILIZING, GAS

' Application filed June 4, 1927. Serial No. 196,422.

The present invention relates to the productionand utilization of gas for general domestic purposes,-such as heating, cooking, lighting .and the like. The invention in its 5 broad aspects may also be applied to the production of gas to be used for-heating for industrial purposes.

One of the features of the invention com-- prises the generation of gas at a rate correlated with its consumption, which, of course,

is directly relative to the temperature which" is to be maintained either by' the direct com bustion of the gas or by using said gasas an indirectheatlng medium for steam, air or water or other fluids used in the heat exchanging surfaces.

The invention provides for an automatic control of both the production of gas ,in the gas producer and the feed of said gas to the utilizing means. The invention further provides a compact unit in which gas may be generated intermittently or continuously and temporarily stored, being fed to the respective utilizing means as desired, while substantially no supervision is required other than to keep the gas producer supplied with the carbonaceous fuel used to produce the gas.

Among the advantages of the present invention may be listed the elimination of the necessity for substantial supervision of the unit; the e'iliciency' and economy of the unit based on a consumption of fuel and production ofgas' therefrom according to and di- F rectly proportionate to the consumption ofsaid gas; the automatic control of all parts of the installation and the production of gas of substantially constant characteristics not withstanding the usual variations which occur in the operation of gas producers.

The principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a process and apparatus so designed that the gas is generated as needed, said gas production being directly correlated with the amount of gas consumed, and as a feature of the resent invention, the production of said gas is automatically controlled by its consumption.

The utility of the invention as well as other objects and advantages will appear more clearly from the following description and In the description of one particular embodiment of my invention-I have described the use of producer gas for various domestic purposes at the same pl'ace of consumption.-

It is understood that many changes ma be made n the process and apparatus wit out departing from the scopeof the invention.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, 1

designates as a whole a gas producer which may be of any suitable conventional type and of the desired capacity, which gas producer may generally comprise a lower gasi fication chamber 2, and an upper fuel sup ly' chamber 3 above which is mounted a uel feed hopper 4 closed by a suitable movable cap 5,- which latter may be controlled in any suitable manner. A grate 6 may be provided below the combustion chamber 2 and an ash git 7 islocated at the base of-the gas proucer below said grate 6. The gas'producer may be lined with refractory walls in any well known manner, and it is not thoughtnecessary to describe it here in more detail. An air and'steam and/or air .feed pipe 8 which may 'be controlled by hand valve 9 and electrically operated valve 10the op-; eration of the latter will be hereinafter more particularly described-terminates within the gasification chamber 2 preferably at a short distance above the grate 6; to provide for steam for operation of the producer. The nozzle 11 at the terminusof the feed pipe 8 in the gasification chamber 2 may be provided with an internal overflow drain pi u 12 whereby any condensed steam may i. drained from the producer during its operation. Air ports may be provided in any suitable manner below grate 6 to furnish airrequired for gasification.

A gas outlet pipe 13 controlled by magnetic valvel serves as a gas exhaust line through which gas vproduced within the generator 1 may be thereby directed as waste to the atmosphere through any suitable means, such as chimneys, stacks or the like. i

A main gas discharge pipe from the producer 1 is illustrated at 15, which pipe may remove the gases directly from the gasification chamber 2. Pipes 13 and 15 may, if desired, be provided with hand valves 16 and above atmospheric, more or less. cumulator tank 28 may be provided with a 17, respectively, which may be left open from the time the production of gas is started until it is completely shut down, being merely shown as optional safety devices. Gas passing through the line may be directed to a 'scrubber 18, which may be of any standard or conventional type and which is illustrated diagrammatically, which scrubber may be provided with vacuum relief pipe 19. This scrubber may be by-passed or dispensed with if the quality of the gas produced or generated 1n the gas producer does not require scrubbing. The scrubber may be also provided with drain pipe controlled by valve 21. Any suitable scrubbing material may be used in the scrubber.

The clean producer gas from the scrubber 18, or if the latter is not used from the gasification chamber 2 passes then through line 22 to a fan', blower, com ressor or pump 23 which may be operate by any suitable means, for instance byan electrical motor 24. The elements 23 and 24 may comprise any instrumentalities which will produce, during the operation, a suction or'draft through the producer and simultaneously, bycompression, force the gas through the balance of the system. Element 23 directs the gas under pressure through line 25 controlled by magnetic valve 26 and in which a check valve 27 may be interposed, said gas passing to a temporary gas accumulator or reservoir 28, which may be of any desired conventional type construction. This accumulator 28 may be pressure-tight or it may be of the watersealtype, being preferably built to withstand a relatively low super-atmospheric pressure ranging from, say 1 to 25 pounds The acpressure indicator 29 and with a pressure safety valve 30, the outlet of which may be connected by pipe-31 to the main exhaust pipe 13. Pressure in the accumulating tank may be regulated by means of an automatic pressure regulator 32, which may be of any suitable construction and the operation of which in connection with the balance of the system will be hereafter described more fully.

From the gas accumulator 28 the gas is discharged through line 33 in which may be interposed hand valve 34, which latter is only used for emergency purposes or when the installation is completely shut down, otherwise it is preferably left open. The gasmain 33 leads the gas to distribution header 35, from which several branch pipes 36. 37' and 38 direct the gas respectively to various points of use. For instance, the gas passing through pipe 36, in which may be interposed hand controlled valve 36' and electrically operated magnetic valve 37 actuated by temperature responsive means, may be directed to burner 38, which latter may be utilized to heat a hot water system shown as a whole diagrammatically at 39. Line 40 controlled by valve 41 may be tapped into the gas line 36 and some gas may be directed to a pilot burner 42 which will be used as hereafter described.

Through the branch 37 in which is interposed valve 43, the gas may be directed to a cooking range, for example, designated at 44. There maybe one or more burners in parallel each controlled by valve 43. A second burner has beeri shown on the line 45 attached from branch 37 and controlled by valve 46. Each burner may be provided with pilots shown at 47 and 48 controlled, respec- .the gas to a burner 51 which may be used to heat a house heating system, the combustion of the gas at the burner 51 being utilized as a source of heat for the air, water or steam utilized as the heating medium in the house. A pilot light may be connected to the line 52 controlled by valve'53 which may betapped from branch 38.

A magnetic electrically operated valve 54 actuated by temperature responsive means may be interposed in branch 38. The heating system of the house has been shown diagrammatically as comprising a boiler 55 with pipes and headers 56. 57, 58 and 59 leading the heating medium through heat exchanging surfaces interposed-between theheaders 57 and 59, designated, respectively, 60 and 61. Two such heat exchanging surfaces have been shown, but it is understood that there may be any number. Each may be controlled by valves 62, which latter may be hand controlled or thermostatically controlled in any well known manner whereby the quantity of heating medium admitted to the heat exchanging surfaces will be controlled by the temperature of the fluid or-gas to be heated and surrounding the heat exchanging surfaces. The operation of the un ts 39, 44 and 55 described above are generally intermittent, said operation being directly correlated to the amount of heat required. The gas used in cooking rangesis generally hand cont-rolled. On the other hand the quantity of gas directed to burners 51 and 38 must vary according to/the degree of heating required in said systems, and I therefore provide for automatic control of magnetic electrically operated valves 37 and 54 actuated by temperature responsive means in the branches 36 and 38' feeding such systems. Magnetic valves are well known and the particular construction thereof neednot be described in detail as this particular construe tion comprises no part of the present inven- V temperature determining device 64 positioned extending into the interior of the element 39, such thermostatic control 63 being so set as to maintain a constant temperature in the hot water system. This is effected by the greater or lesser opening of gas valve 37 corresponding to changes in temperature at 39 which admits more or less gas at burners 38 and stops the flow thereof entirely by closing valve 37 whenthedes'ired temperature is obtained.

A similar arrangement may be provided in connection with the element 55 which may comprise temperature determining device 65 registering variations of temperature on thermostat 66 which may be set to the desired temperature. This thermostat is so constructed that variations of temperature above or below the point for which it is set will cause variations in the opening of magnetic valve 54, closing it entirely when the temperature de sired is obtained so that the flow of gas to burner 51 corresponds to the requirements.

It is to be understood that any suitable or p conventional type of thermostat control may a be utilized and that the relative positions as illustrated may be changed. For instance, instead of controlling the heating elements 55,

- 60 and 61 by two separate controls, one controllingthe flow of gas to the burner 51 by the temperature of the heating fluid or gas in the element and then controlling the temperature of the fluid orgas to be heated at the heat exchanging surface and 61, it is understood that the flow of gas to the burner 51 maybe controlled by magnetic valve 54 directly actuated by the temperature of the gas or fluid to be heated by heat exchanging surfaces 60 or 61.

It is understood that the valves shown on the various pilot lines provided may be"ini tiallv set to an opening which will permita small quantity of gas to flow continuously to the pilot lights s that a constant flame may be maintained at these points. The use and make of such pilot lights are well known and need not be described further.

It will be understood from the above description that the flow of gas to the various burners shown under the different installations illustrated will vary according to the requirement of the moment of each of said elements. This in turn draws moreor less of the gas from the tank 28 through the line shown, which tends to vary the pressure insaid tank.

A constant supply of gas is assured for the 1" burners by. making up for the consumption of gas drawn from the accumulator tank 28 7 an equivalent production of gas in the proto the burners.

ducer 1, the operation of which producer is automatically controlled to accomplish this lator 32 may be connected by lead wires 67 to automatic switch 68 actuated by, for instance, electric current from any source (not shown).

This switch may be of any desired type of standard construction and it may be connected by electrical conductors to various control devices of the system, as follows: 1

A circuit 69 is connected to the magnetic valve 26 on gas feed line to the accumulator tank 28. A circuit 70 may be connected to the motor or other instrumentality 24 controlling the pump 23; a circuit 71 may be con neeted to the electrically operated valve 14 Gin on the exhaust pipe 13 from the gas producer a 1 and a circuit 72 may be connected to the electrically operated valve 10 controlling the combustion supporting medium supply to the gasification chamber 2. The electrically operated valve 10 may be so set that it never closes completely, thus insuring atleast a small stream of combustion supporting medi um passing to the nozzle 11 when the ban controlled valve 9 is opened.

The contacts and connections in the automatic or magnetic switch 68 are'such that the valves 26 and 10 are both opening or closing at the same time and that the motor 24 is starting when said valves 26 and 10 open,

stopping when -said valves .close. On the other hand, the electrically operated valve 14 is so connected to the switch or so set that it closes and remains closed when valves 26 and 10-open. While it opens and remains opened when the motor 24 st0ps,'valve 26 closes and remains closed and magnetic valve 10 closes and remains at 1ts pos1t1on of minimum flow.

regulator and the automatic switch 68 are suchthat when the pressure in the tank 28 decreases below the pressure for which the regulator is set, on account of increased consumption of gas at the "burners, contact will be established and electric current passed through circuits 69, 70,- 71 and-72 to cause opening of valves 10 and 26 and operation of the motor 24. At the same time valve 14 on exhaust line 13 closes. In this manner, all hand valves beingopened and left open during the period of utilization of the installa-- tion, the production of gas is increased, and by means of pump 23, gas is fed to the ac- The contacts between the automatic pressureamount of gas produced exhausting through line 13; this continues until the pressure in the accumulator again changes because of the variation in the rate of consum tion, after which the operation is startedagaln as above described. I

It is to be noted that the vent line 13 may be connected if desired to the various pilot lights shown which will provide for continu-' ous utilization of substantially all the gas produced without affecting a drain on the gas accumulator 28 and utilizing gas which ordinarily might be wasted.

If the rate of consumption varies only to a small degree in the burners, the constant withdrawal of gas from the accumulator tank will cause substantially continuous operation of the producer. j

The pressure regulator 22 may be of the static or dynamic'type. It is important that this pressure regulator start operating when the pressure in the tank has decreased below the point for which it is set; for instance, should the pressure be maintained at 5 lbs. per square inch, the pressure regulator may start operating the gas producer at its full rate when the pressure in the gas accumulator has decreased down to, say 4 lbs. It may be of such type and positioned in such a manner that it will operate by the dynamic pressure head caused by withdrawal of gas from accumulator tank 28. If it is of this latter type it will provide for a more continuous and constant operation of the gas producer, which may be preferably for efficiency and economy purposes. In this operation, as the dynamic variation of pressure on tank 28 will vary with the rate.of consumption, the pressure regulator may be built in such a manner that an automatic rheostat may be inserted in the circuit 7( to the motor 24, said rheostat being controlled by the variation of the dynamic pressure registered in the pressure regulator and so connected that the speed of the motor may be varied according to the rate of withdrawal of gas from accumulator tank 28.

I have described the invention in connection with the use of a pressure type gas holder. Should it be desired to use a water seal type gas tank 28, the pressure regulator 32 may be. changed for a level contactor operating in a well known manner according to the height of the gas holder. In this latter construction the connections could be established in such a manner that when the gas holder is at its manner a greater degree of efliciency and economy is obtained in that-the sensible heat", 8?

of the gas'is utilized before it is lost by radiation or otherwise, and a smaller proportion of gas is required for combustion to promote the same degree of heating. The heat exchanger may be positioned in the line between the gas producer and accumulator,

The operation of the unit is initially startedby opening hand valves 9, 17, 16, 34, 38", 43,

46 and 36', and by charging the gas producer and lighting fires in the other manner. Thereafter the operation proceeds automatically as herein described, the only care required being to keep the gas producer supplied with necessary fuel 3. 1

I have illustrated a producer to which steam is supplied through line 8, in which producer some water gas is generated. It is to be understood, of course, that producer gas alone may be generated in this producer by introducing air or similar combustion supporting medium through the line 8 instead of steam.

Automatic control of the air feed will be used as herein described for the producer: In the production of water gas, and in addi tion to the automatic control of the steam feed through valve 9, the air feed may also be automatically controlled, through magnetic valves connected in a suitable manner to switch 68.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a gas producer adapted to be charged with solid carbonaceous material, a pipe connected therewith through which a combustion supporting medium may be fed under pressure, a valve in said pipe, electric current connections between said valve and a source of electric current, a con trol switch in said connections, a gas accumulator connected by a communicating pipe with the lotvenportion of the said producer, a discharge pipe from said accumulator communicating with po1nts of use, a connection between said accumulator and said control. switch, whereby variance in pressure conditions in the accumulator automatically actuates theswitch to increase or decrease the 1 amount of combustion supporting medium fed to the producer, a pressure pump in the communicating pipe between the producer and accumulator, electric current connectionsbetween said pump and said control switch, and operable synchronously with the operation of said valve, a second gas discharge line connected to the upper portion of producer through which gas may be exhausted to a point other than the accumulator, a valve in said line, a valve in the communicating line between the producer and accumulator, and electric current conduits between said latter valves and said control switch, so adapted that the operation of the switch simultaneously closes one valve and opens the other.

2. In combination, a gas producer adapted to be charged with solid carbonaceous material, a pipe connected therewith through which a combustion supporting medium may be fed under pressure, a valve in said pipe,

electric current connections between said valve and a sourceof electric current, a control switch in said connections, a gas accumulator connected by a communicating pipe with said producer, a discharge pipe from said accumulator communicating with points of use, a connection between said accumulator and said control switch so adapted that on variance of pressure conditions within the accumulator said switch is actuated to increase or decrease the amount of combustion supporting medium fed to said producer, a second gas discharge line connected to said producer but out of communication with said previously mentioned discharge pipe, through which gas may be passed to a point other than said ac-' cumulator, a valve insaid line, a valve in second gas discharge line connected to said producer but out of communication with said previously mentioned discharge pipe, through which gas may be exhausted to a point other than to said accumulator, a valve in said line, a valve in the communicating line between the producerand accumulator, and electric current conduits. between said latter valves and said control switch so adapted that the operation of said switch simultaneously closes one valve and opens the other. a

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' JEAN DELATTRE-SEGUY.

the communicating line between the producer and accumu1ator, and' electric current conductors between said latter valves and said control switch adapted to simultaneously close one valve and open the other on actuation of said switch.

3. In combination, a gas producer adapted to be charged with solid carbonaceous material, a pipe connected therewith through which a combustion supporting medium may be fed under pressure, a valve in said pipe, electric current connections between said valve and-a source of electric current, a control switch in said connections, a gas accumulator connected-by a communicating pipe with the lower ortion ofsaid producer, a discharge pipe t i om said accumulator communicating with points of use, a connection 7 between said accumulator and said control switch adapted to automatically actuate said switch to increase or decrease the amount 01' combustion supporting medium fed to said producer on variance of the pressure conditions prevailing within said accumulator, a pressure inducing means interposed in the communicating pipe between the producer and accumulator, electric current .,connections between said pressure inducing means and said control switch operable synchronously with the" operation of sand valve, :1 

